The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-22
THE WHITE HOUSE AS 1T is.
Rsautifal In Spots and Very Cheap and Common
,o -. In Other Spots.


-. In Other Spots.
From the Cleveland Leader.
The White House is truly beautiful,
and it has cost since the beginning
nearly S2,000,00o. Among all its
magnihcence, however, there are many
bits of the commonplace. and in that
part OF it which is daily viewed by the
public eye it is in places actually shah
by. In this letter ] want to describe
the business part of the White House
rs it strikes the average caller 1t is q
great white building OF two stories
and basement. with porte cochere
in it's front and an iron railing tipped
with brass gliding at the side. 1t
has a big lawn in front of it, and there
is fountain spouting up a spray in
the centre OF this. The front door is
reached by crescent OF asphalt drive,
in the top of which lies this porte
cochere. This asphalt is cracked in
places, and gives back all the rays OF
the sun during the heated summer
months. Along its side runs foot
walk as wide as an ordinary pave.
ment, and the material OF this is plain
sandstone IN blocks about two feet
squares
Thslanding under the porte cochere
is OF the same ordinary sandstone,
and as you go up to 1t you can look
overlthe iron railing and see the Pres
idents servants ironing his shirts and
other objectionable family gar
ments in the laundry OF the base.
ment. Raising your eyes you note
that Holland shades OF a cream color
cover the winows of the east room, and
walking up the sandstone steps yon
reach the front door, and here note
that,its- step is also OF sandstone, a
part OF which is painted brown. In
front OF the door lies big strawcol-
ored mat OF cocoa, laid there for you
to wipe your feet upon before entering.
The front doors OF the White House
are ofwalnut. They are double doors,
and into each is set an oval piece OF
plate glass with panels of mosaic
about it. Through this oval glass the
doorkeepers can see who wish to EN-.
ter, and if they are Objectionable can
refuse to open the door. In one OF
them on the inside card hangs.
This card is made OF tin. and upon it
in black letters is painted:
OPEN, 10A.M.
a CLOSED, Up. NJ.
CLOSED.
It was after 2 o'clock when ! called,
and the house was closed to visitors.
The door, bell OF the White Houseis at
the right of the entrance. H. is OF
bronze and rather pretty. The door
knob was especially designed for this
door. 1t is as big around as a base
ball and it has an American eagle cut
into it's brass face. -tt
Entering the White House through
these big front doors you first stand
in q great vestibule or hall. This is a
conglomeration ofthe grand and the
cheap. 10 The floor is OF tiled mosaic,
and probably cost several dollars a
square foot. The wall before you was
made by Tiffany. 1t shuts you of
from the grand corridor where the
guests promenade Mt the state recep.
ton and in which the portraits OF all
the Presidents hang. It is a splendid
piece OF glass mosaic. which shines like
so many Jewels in the evening. The
chandelier in the centre OF this vesti.
bule is beauty, and the walls and
the ceilings are irescoed. Thus far the
room is beautiful But look around
you. Two'cheap, rough cocoa door
mats lie upon the mosaic floor. The
'sood.woris vi the yestiouie has been
grained to represent black walnut and
vanished, and this varnish is cracked
like an old picture. Besides the door
entering the hall there is n walnut UNI
brella stand which would be dear at
$5, and in the hall beyond, at the
foot OF the stairs, lies a Smyrna rug,
which long ago saw its best days. This
hall and indeed the stairs which lead to
the presidents Office as well, are car
peted with an old piece OF Brussels,
which was good once, but which would
not now bring fifty cents at auction.
Against the wall sit couple OF So
wicker chairs. and over the desk at
the foot OF the stairs hangs calendar
= bearing at its top the advertisement
OF railroad. This carpet has been
patched to fit. 1t has been sewed and
reserved, and at the edges of the
breadths the nap is well worn away.
A strip OF the same carpet, with six
inch border sewed to each side OF it,
covers the stairs, and this stair car
pet is fastened by silver-headed nails.
Ascend the stairs. Each step is
worn threadbare by the tread OF
thousands of office-seeker,s and Mt the